Acetylene-gas generator.



Ne. 632,488. Patented sept. 5, |899.

J. M. HANSDN W. STEWART. AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application led June 21, 1898.)

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ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed June 21, 1898.) (No Model.) 4 SheetsfSheet 2.

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No.'632,488. Patented Sept. 5, |899.

` J. Il. HANSUN & W. STEWART.

ACETYLENE GAS GENEBATUB.

(Application Sled June 21, 1698.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-#Sheet 3,

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ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR. (Application led June 21, 189B.) (Nu Model.)

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NiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH M. HANSON AND VILLIAM STFVART, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNORS TO THE AOETYLENE GAS APPARATUS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

AC ETY'LEN E-GAS G EN ERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of .Letters4 Patent No. 632,488, dated September 5, 1899.

Application filed June 21.1898. Serial No. 684,110. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concer/t:

Be it known that we, JOSEPH M. HANSON and WILLIAM STEWART, citizens ofthe United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for the generation of gas, more particularly acetylene gas; and it consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter shown and described, and specically pointed out in the claims.

The apparatus is designed to be used to generate gas by the chemical coaction of two bodies, one a solid and the other a liquid.

In the drawings is shown in Figure l a semisectional side elevation of the apparatus complete. Fig. 2 is a sectional detail of a portion ot' a gasometer, illustrating the interior construction. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. l; Fig. 4, a detached sectional detail of the trap for receiving and discharging the overfiow and drip from the generator and gasometer. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of portions of an adjacent pair of the doors of. the feed-cylinder pockets with one of the locking catches and its operating mechanism,

showing the catch closed; and Fig. o5 is asimi-v lar View showing the catch open or disengaged. Fig. G is a semisectional side elevation of the generating part of the apparatus. Fig. 7 is a side view of the feed-drum,l and Fig. 8 is a side View of the feed-drum with the ratchet for actuating the feed-drum removed. Fig. 9 is a side view of the shell of the generator part of the apparatus, illustrating the construction of the Water-supply mechanism. Fig. lO is a detached detail of the mechanism for operating the lock for the feed-cylinder cover.

The generating part of the apparatus consists ofa shell orcasing A', having ahopperbottom A2 and discharge b', and also provided with a mechanical Stirn-er" or agitator B in the bottom of the shell A', so that the sediment or cashes resulting from the generation may be stirred up when required to be removed and prevented from settling into the bottom of the casing and clogging the discharge. The agitator B, it will be observed, is in the lower part of the casing A' and will not seriously disturb the water in the upper part of the generator-chamber and interfere with the generation of the gas. The discharge b' may be conducted into a sewer or other locality or into a receptacle. Within the shell A' an annular partition A3 is arranged to provide a receptacle for water to form the seal for the bell D', as shown.

A4 is a shell inside the water seal A3, forming a space in which the gas may gather as fast as it is generated, as hereinafter explained.

Upon the bell D is supported a circular drum D2, connected to the interior of the bell by a contracted throat D3 and having a sliding air-tight valve K', whereby all communication between the bell and drum may be shut oi when required. Within the drum D2 is mounted a reel divided into a series of radiating uniform compartments a', as shown in Fig. 6, to hold the compound from which the gas is to be generated. The throat portion D3 of the drum corresponds at its upper end to one of the compartments ct', so that as the drum is revolved the compartments pass consecutively over the throat7 portion D and` discharge their contentsinto the receptacle A', as yhereinafter shown. In the upper part of 'the drum D2 is a feed-opening D4, having a cover D5, secured removably in place by a yoke D6, and through which feed-opening the compartments ct' may be supplied with the compound from which the gas isrto be generated.

Each of thecompartments a' will be provided with a cover or door CL2, hinged at d3 to one side of each compartment and retained in place bya catch a4, engaging with a pin or hook a7 on the division-wall of the next of the compartment, as shown in Figs. l and 6. c is a trip-bolt adapted t-o engage the catches a4 one after the other as `the drum revolves and release the covers d2 as they pass over the throat portion D3, and thus permit the contents of the compartments to be discharged. The construction of these tripcatches af* and the. trip-bolt e, by which `they 'areactuatech is more clearly shown in Figs.

l and 5%.

Each ofthe trip-catches a4 has an outwardlyturned end a5 projecting into the path of the IOO inner end of the trip-bolt c when the latter. is turned in one direction, but which will pass the trip-bolt when the position of the bolt is reversed or set, as shown in Fig. 5. The short end d6 of each of the trip-catches a1 is adapted to hook around a pin d'1 on the reel of the feed-cylinder, and thus hold the doors intact so long as they are not released by the tripbolt, as shown in Fig. Thus when the compartments a are being iilled through the feed-opening D4 the trip-bolt e will be reversed or set, as shown in Fig. 5, so that the trip-catches will not be acted on by its inner end to prematurely discharge the compartments. lVhen the compartments are all filled with the compound, the trip-bolt is set, as in Fig. 5, so that thereafter as the reel is revolved the doors a2 are released one after the other and the contents of the compartments discharged one after the other, as hereinafter morefullyexplained. Thebolteis supported, as shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8, in a hanger outside the shell D2, so that it can be actuated from outside the shell.

The shaft D7 of the reel of compartments a is extended and supported by a standard DS from the drum D2 and provided on its outer end with a toothed wheel D11, the teeth of this wheel corresponding in number and location to the compartments a', as shown, and having numbers thereon in regular order, as shown. As many of the compartments a may be employed as may be desired, but for the purpose of illustration we have shown ten in the drawings; but a greater or less number may be employed as the capacity required may render necessary.

Attached to the same shaft D7 is a notched disk D10, with which a pawl engages by its long arm D11, while the short arm D12 of the pawl extends across the path of the teeth of the ratchet-wheel D9, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the object to be hereinafter shown.

The gas receiving and storing part of the apparatus consists of a gasometer E E2, the bell portion E2 adapted to move up and down between guides E3 and sheaves E4. The gas is conducted from the generator part to the receiving and storing part by piping F', while the gas will be conducted away to the burners by piping F2, as shown.

Attached to the top of the bell E2 is a hanger G, havin ga trip G2 hanging loosely therefrom above the ratchet-wheel D9 and long arm D of the lock-lever, so that as the bell E2 moves downward the lower end of the trip G2 will first strike the part D12 and throw that end downward and throw the end D11 out of its recess in the disk D10 and release the shaft D7 and act upon the ratchet-wheel D9 and revolve it and the reel in the drum D2 the distance of one of the compartments a', the bolt e at the same time releasing the catch C51 and permitting the door d2 to fall into the throat D3, and thus discharge the contents of the lowermost compartment d'. The hanger G' is lirmly connected to the bell E2 and further strengthened by diagonal brace-rods, as shown in Figs. l and 3, so that there can be no lateral movement of the hanger upon the bell. The trip G2 will be gaged as to length to act upon the parts D9 D12 only when the bell E2 is at or near its lowermost position, so that a fresh charge of the gas-generating compound may be supplied to the water or other fluid only when the gas-supply in the receiver needs replenishing. The hanger G2 will preferably be provided with an antifriction-roller G2 to assist it in its action by reducing the friction.

l/Vhen the reel of compartments is to be recharged with the compound, the valve K' is closed to prevent the escape of the gas remaining in the bell A2. The bolt e is then withdrawn, so that it will not act on the catches a1. The cover D5 is then removed and the compartments a opened through the feed-opening D1and filled with the compound one after the other and the cover D5 replaced.

The reel is then set with tooth No. l of the ratchet-wheel D9 in position to be I'irst acted upon by the trip G2. This indicates to the operator that the reel is fully charged. The bolt c is then reversed, and the apparatus is ready for action after opening the valve K. Vhen the supply of gas in the gasometer has been reduced to a sufficient extent to cause the bell E2 to bring the trip G2 into play, the first of the compartments a will be discharged into the generating liquid in the shell A and a fresh supplyv of gas thereby generated, which will iiowinto the gasometer and elevate the bell E2, again releasing the ratchet D9 and pawl D11 D12, permitting the end D11 to again engage with the recessed disk D11 and lock the reel of compartments in the drum. Then when the gas-supply again falls the contents of another of the compartments d' is discharged into the generating fluid, and so on so long as any of the compound remains. By numbering the ratchet-teeth and starting with No. l the operator can always know how many of the compartments a. contain the compound, and thus know when the reel requires recharging. As the reel is revolved the open doors A2 of the lowermost compartment a', passing between the side of the drum D2 and the rims of the reel, are automatically closed, as will be readily understood. As the sediment or ashes accumulate in the bottom of the generator they are discharged by the outlet b', being iirst stirred up by the agitator B, as before described.

The valve K is provided with gear-racks K2, with which pinions K3 on a shaft K4 en-b gage, the shaft passing out through a suitable stuffing-box Ksand provided on its outer end with a wheel or handle K6, by which it may be actuated. Upon the shaft K4 is a pinion K2, adapted to engage with a rack K.8 on a frame K9, the latter adapted to move perpendicularlyin guides K10 K11 on the drum D2 and shell A by rods K12 K13. The upper end of the upper rod K12 is extended over IOO IIO

above the feed-opening of the drum D2 and is provided with a hood or cover K14, adapted to fit down over the screw-wheel of the yoke D6 when the shaft K4 is turned to open the valve K', so that the closure to the cover cannot be opened while the valve K is open. By this means an automatic safety device is provided which will effectually prevent both the valve K' and cover D5 being opened at the same time.

Depending from the top of the hood of the bell E2 of the gasometer is a pipe N' and fitting over a smaller pipe N2, rising from the shell E of the gasometer, as shown. This smaller pipe N2 extends upward above the water-line in the gasometer and leads out through the side of the shell and is carried thence out of doors by any suitable conductor. This forms acomplete safety-escape for the gas if for 'any cause the gasometer should become charged to an extentsufflcient to raise the outer pipe N above the waterline in the gasometer. The lower end of the pipe N' may be lengthened or shortened to adjust the escape7 so as to cause it to become effective under a decreased or increased quantity of gas in the gasometer.

M is a small trap-tank7 into the lower part of which drip-pipes M2 M2 lead from the several pipes F F2N2 to dispose ofthe drainage, and from the top of this tank a pipe M4 leads into th'e vent-pipe N2, so that any gas rising in the tank will be disposed of.

M5 is the outlet to the tank M, which leads from inside the tank near the bottom out through the tank near the top, the lowermost part of this outlet being on a line with the lowermost part of the pipes F F2 N2 to prevent any siphonage action.

M is a branch pipe connecting the outlet or service pipe F2 to the piping F', by which the gas is carried from the generator to the gasometer, and with a shut-oft' valve M7 therein, as shown, to form a passage for the gas directly from the outlet F' into the service-pipe F2. A by-pass77 pipe M8 also leads from the branch pipe M6 to the escape or vent N2, this latter pipe also having a stop-valve M, as shown.

The discharge-valve b' has an operating-rod b2 leading out through the shell A of the generator and provided with an arm b3 outside the shell and connected bya rod b4 to an arm M10 on the valve llf 2, so that the two valves b MT will be actuated in unison. By this means when the valve b is opened to discharge the residuum from the generator the valve M7 will likewise be opened to allow the gas-pressure in the gasometer and servicepipingl to ilow back to the generator and equalize the pressure and prevent siphon age.

Another function of the branches M6 MS is to provide for the discharge of the air in the generator and gasometer and service-piping when first starting the machine.

In starting the machine the rod b4 is detached and both the valves M7 M9 opened, so

that when gas is generated the pressure drives the air before it out through the waste-pipe N2 and leaves none in the generator orgasometer to become mingled with the gas. As a measure of precaution the valves M7 MJ should be left open until'one or two pocketfuls of the compound has been generated and permitted to escape, so as to be sure that all of the air has been driven out and nothing but the gas remains in the generator, gasometer, or service-piping.

P' is apipe leading into the generator-shell, preferably below the lower line of the partitions AS A4, through which the generator Will be charged with the liquid and will be provided with a shut-off valve P2. The pipe P leads downward to a point near the bottom of the generator, and thence upward, and ends in a funnel P2, through which the liquid will be poured. By arranging the pipe P' with the downward bend a trap is formed to prevent the escape of gas from the generator when the latter is being recharged with the liquid.

The space between the partitions A3 A4 is entirely surrounded by the Water in the generator and in the seal, (the water-line in both the generator and the gasometer being indicated by the dotted lines,) which serves to cool the gas which settles into the space formed by the partition A4 before it passes to the gasometer. The gas by being forced down into the water in the gasometer is thereby washed and at the same time still further cooled.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new isl. In an acetylene-gas generator, a shell or casing for the liquid compound, a drum upon said shell or casing and opening into said shell, a reel of radiating compartments mounted to revolve in said drum, each of said compartments having a hinged cover, a levercatch pivoted to each of said covers, pins having lips and projecting from the divisionwalls between the said compartments and adapted to engage said lever-catches and hold said doors closed, a trip-bolt supported in said shell or casing and having an arm projecting into the paths of said lever-catches when set in one position, and capable of being removed from the paths of said lever-catches when set in its reverse position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an acetylene-gas generator, a shell or casing for the liquid compound, a drum upon said shell or casing and opening into said shell or casing, a reel of radiating compartments mounted to revolve in said drum, a valve closing the opening between said drum and shell or casing, and provided with one or more gearracks, a shaft carrying pinions adapted to engage said gear-racks, a feedopening to said drum, an air-tight cover to said opening, a screw-bolt to close said cover, a cover to said screw-bolt, and mechanism connecting said screw-bolt cover to said pin- IOO IOS

IIO

ion-shaft, whereby said screw-bolt cover is closed over said screw-bolt when said shaft is actuated to open said Valve, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In an acetylene-gas generator, ageuerator having a residuum-discharge valve, a gasometer, conductor piping connecting said generator and gasometer, service-piping leading from said gasometer, a branch pipe connecting said service-piping and conductorpiping and having a shut-off valve therein, means for connecting said discharge-valve and branch-pipe valve so that they will operate in unison to equalize the pressure in said generator When the resid u um is removed, substantially as set forth.

4. In an acetylene-gas generator, a shell or casing for the liquid comp0und,a reel of radiating compartments for the solid compound adapted to discharge consecutively into said witnesses.

JOSEPH M. HANSON. WILLIAM STEWART. In presence of-` W. B. SToUT, C. N. WOODWARD. 

